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Members & staff of UKIP past & present. Committed to reforming the party by exposing the corruption and dishonesty that lies at its heart, in the hope of making it fit for purpose.
Only by removing Nigel Farage and his sycophants on the NEC can we save UKIP from electoral oblivion.
SEE: http://juniusonukip.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/a-statement-re-junius.html

Monday, 31 May 2010

In an earlier post we mentioned that a member of Farage’s EFD Group was not all they seemed:

It has long been known that UKIP has a spy in the camp. Not unlike the Scarlet Pimpernel, the thorn in UKIP's shoe has survived numerous purges, in which several staff members have been dismissed on trumped up charges. One alleged spy even passed away, but still the leaks continue.

Now we learn of an interesting document that has surfaced which may shed some light on who is responsible, and where that person's true allegiances may lie.

During the 1999-2004 parliament, UKIP sat in the EDD group. We have seen papers that clearly show that an EDD staffer, who still remains close to the party leadership, was also taking money from another, rival, political group.

As well as receiving small salaries from two EDD MEPS, the person concerned (a trained journalist, incidentally) was also in the pay of Marianne Erikson, then an MEP with the Swedish Left Party, who sat as a member of the Communist GUE group.

The GUE is also home to Sinn Fein. It comprises some of the nastiest people in European politics, and is ideologically opposed to UKIP in every way, save the occasional opposition of some of its component parties to the Lisbon Treaty.

She is UKIP's French Chief of Staff in Brussels. MEPs are not allowed to table amendments, or even employ staff, without her express permission. She decides who speaks in Parliament, and on what subject. UKIP’s MEPs are not exactly very happy about this, but are too terrified of Farage to do anything about it.

Her political judgment leaves a lot to be desired. When there was a debate on the Lisbon Treaty in 2008, another group proposed a ‘rejection amendment’ - in other words, the treaty could have been rejected! Aurelie’s voting list, prepared for UKIP’s MEP’s, did not have them supporting this amendment!

In a nutshell, Aurelie advised voting against the rejection amendment, as it "rejects it for the wrong reasons"

When asked to clarify this, she said the amendment "calls for more social security payments".

What it actually said was, that it "regrets the lack of social cohesion inherent in the Lisbon Treaty".

One might expect that at the level of an adviser to a political group in the European Parliament, a person might understand the difference between the concept of "social cohesion" and increased social security payments.

Farage, incidentally, overruled all objections, and went with Aurelie's advice.

She is about as much use as a chocolate teapot or David Bannerman on an island populated by sex starved Amazons!

So what is Aurelie’s hold over Farage? Let us just say that they have had a very intimate working relationship! But does Mrs Farage know?

Sunday, 30 May 2010

Farage has said that he would never work with the BNP. But see: LINK. The odious Paul Nuttall says that he won't even share a stage with Nick Griffin. Mark Croucher tries to smear so-called UKIP dissidents by claiming that they are working for the BNP.

Morten Messerschmidt is a Danish member of UKIP's far-right EFD group in the European Parliament. He has a conviction for a racial crime, and was forced to resign from his government job after being seen "Heiling Hitler" in a Copenhagen bar.

Like most of the EFD MEPs, he is quite keen to get involved in the Parliament, in order to make it work better. He has started the "Turkey Assessment Group", to discuss Turkish membership of the EU.

The EFD group website carries an article on the group, and has photos taken at its inaugural meeting. Look carefully at the photographs. Nick Griffin can clearly be seen to have been in attendance.

Saturday, 29 May 2010

UKIP MEPs do not take part in taxpayer-funded jaunts, we are told. Well, that policy has obviously gone the way of all UKIP's promises, and we find now Marta Andreasen on a freebie to Greece as part of a "study trip".

10 MEPs from the EFD group took part (a certain number must attend in order to qualify for taxpayer funding). They were well looked after, as they were attended by no less than 16 staff! At least one MEP also took his wife along.

Given that the Greeks are having to slash public spending in order to tackle their deficit, this jolly excursion might be considered somewhat tasteless.

The assorted neo-nazis and racists were met by Georgios Karatzaferis, himself a former MEP with UKIP's old Ind Dem group. Karatzaferis is a holocaust denier, and refers to Jews as "God murderers" who have no right to exist. He believes that 9/11 was a "Jew conspiracy". He also stated that "One third of Greek Senators are homosexuals with Albanian stallions". Some questioned at the time that Karatzaferis was letting his own fantasies run away with him.

And why is UKIP claiming that since 2005, they have doubled their share of the vote?

“To increase our vote share by more than 100 percent in this area is a huge achievement".

Oh, really?

Thirsk and Malton is a NEW constituency! You can’t compare the new results with UKIP’s record in the old constituencies as they cover different areas!

Following their review of parliamentary representation in North Yorkshire, the Boundary Commission for England recommended the creation of a new seat of Thirsk and Malton be established for the 2010 general election. This takes electoral wards from Ryedale and Vale of York.

In 2005, UKIP did not contest the Vale of York seat. So much for doubling the share of the vote!

The electoral wards used in the new constituency are:

• The entire district of Ryedale• The Scarborough wards of Filey and Hertford• The Hambleton wards of Easingwold, Helperby, Huby with Sutton, Shipton, Sowerby, Stillington, Thirsk, Thorntons, Tollerton, Topcliffe, White Horse, and Whitestonecliffe

Toby Horton – the UKIP candidate – has said that “people are being attracted to UKIP’s common sense policies on the economy, the EU and immigration.”

Thursday, 27 May 2010

We can't blame him. After D Day (UKIP V ELCOM, June 7th) there may not be much of a party left to represent!

We note that UKIP's press officer has denounced the former UKIPPER as a man without principles. Oh, really? We would suggest that Mr Aiken's principles prevent him remaining in a party led by people who make Al Capone look like a good, wholesome and honest guy!

From Peterlee Mail:

UKIP bosses have slammed Martyn Aiken for leaving their party and becoming an independent councillor.

Dave Pascoe, press officer for North East UKIP, said he has "badly let down" those residents that voted him in as a councillor.

Mr Pascoe said: "We are very disappointed at Martyn's decision.

"He has badly let down all of the people that have supported him in his quest to become a councillor in 2008, his subsequent mayoral candidacy candidacy and his venture into parliamentary politics as the UKIP candidate for Easington.

"On face value, it appears he has sacrificed the principles on which he was elected."

INDEPENDENT councillors have caused a political storm after joining forces in an attempt to challenge the major parties in Hartlepool.

Eleven of the 13 councillors who were previously independent and without any affiliation to any parties have formed their own group to give them a greater say when it comes to local authority decisions.

In an added twist, former Ukip councillor Martyn Aiken – who stood in the General Election in Easington – has quit the party to become an independent and join the newly-formed group.

Members of the Association of Independent Councillors say the move will help them gain positions on council committees or outside bodies.

The two remaining independent councillors – Paul Thompson, of the Seaton ward, and Michelle Plant, of the Brus ward – have turned down the chance of linking up with the breakaway group.

The move has been questioned by opposition leaders, who query how independent councillors can be part of a group.

Councillor Cath Hill has been elected leader of the new group with councillor Hilary Thompson as deputy.

Coun Hill, who is cabinet member for children's services, said: "The main reason we decided to form this group is because it can be difficult for independent councillors to be given positions on committees or outside bodies such as the fire and police authority.

"It doesn't affect me because I am in the cabinet but for others there was a feeling that they were not in the best position to represent the people in their wards."

Coun Hill, who confirmed she would not be receiving the leader's allowance, added: "There will be no meetings where independent councillors will be told how to vote, that will not happen.

Independent Mayor Stuart Drummond will not be affected by the changes.

Coun Plant said: "I didn't feel it necessary to join as I can still have my voice heard and put my case forward at council meetings."

Coun Thompson was not available for comment when approached by the Mail.

The town's Labour Party takes up half of the elected member positions on Hartlepool Borough Council with 24 out of the 48 seats.

The Association of Independent Councillors has 12 seats, Liberal Democrats five, the Conservatives four and there are two independent councillors plus Mayor Drummond.

A council spokesman said: "We can confirm that a new political group known as the Association of Independent Councillors has been formed.

"Under local government legislation they are entitled to be considered as a group for political balance purposes."

Councillor George Morris, leader of the Conservative group on the council, said: "How can a political group be made up of independent councillors?"

Councillor Jonathan Brash, leader of the Labour group, said: "I think that everybody gets a little confused when they hear of independents forming a group. But how other councillors organise themselves is up to them."

Councillor Arthur Preece, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, was not available for comment.

Last night Mike Nattrass held a meeting in Walsall to discuss the General Election and the widespread discontent with Pearson's performance as UKIP leader. His decision to campaign for Tory and Labour candidates was a particular bone of contention for many UKIPPERS. See: LINK

Dear UKIP Candidate,

You have my recent e-mail regarding the meeting of candidates, and their election agents, at 7.30 pm, Wednesday 26th May to look at the election and improve next time - your input will be of great importance.

Mike has asked me to say that we can also discuss what effect you think Lord Pearson had on the election when he asked voters to vote for Conservative candidates rather than UKIP - all these things can be aired on the night. The South West, Wales, London and the North East are considering a Motion of No Confidence and your input, as a candidate, will be important in this Region.

The venue is the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIf you want to come along but have not yet let me know, please contact me either by return e-mail or give me a call, tel: 07813 153 xxx or 0121 xxx 7737 and leave a message for me.

Regards, Derek Bennett.

There was no agenda and the meeting had little structure. Pearson's support for opposition candidates was the subject of quite a heated debate. Some members supported him, some were unsure and others were totally opposed to his whole conduct during the election. Many were particularly angry that Pearson had expected UKIP candidates to stand down for his Tory chums. Some also mentioned his poor performance during interviews. See: LINK

A letter from Farage was read out to those present. The letter stated that Pearson had his full support. He also accused Nattrass of being behind a campaign to discredit Pearson. Nattrass denied this.

No vote was taken on Pearson. A letter detailing the concerns raised by members at the meeting will be sent to Pearson. What a waste of time. Pearson has ignored all the other letters of complaint that have been sent to him. Mike, don't waste your money on the price of a stamp!

An inconclusive meeting that still leaves matters very much on the boil. "A bit of a damp squib" was how one attendee described it to us. Some of those who attended the meeting had hoped that a motion of no confidence in Pearson would have been proposed. It was not.

The revolution is yet to come. But it is interesting to note that Farage is said to be 'very worried' that the widespread discontent in the West Midlands has spread to other regions.

Will Gerard take up the sword and cut Farage and Pearson down to size?

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

We are pleased to report that Mike Nattrass is heading the revolt against Lord Pearson - Farage's puppet caretaker leader - at a secret location in the West Midlands tonight. We have been asked not to reveal the exact location for obvious reasons.

Mike has been extremely unhappy with Pearson's support for the Tories. You will recall that we leaked several emails from Mike and Gerard on that very subject: LINK

Several other meetings are planned in the South West next week. Motions of no confidence are planned in several UKIP regions.

Pearson has been inundated with countless calls to resign after he started to campaign for Tory and Labour candidates during the General Election. See: LINK

Pearson is said to be 'shocked' by the amount of criticism that he has been getting from UKIPPERS across the country. But why? Did he really think that members would be happy for him to campaign against his own party? See: LINK

Pearson's current position in UKIP is rather odd to say the least. He has expressed the wish to resign. However, Farage has now persuaded him to remain as 'a caretaker leader' until a Farage approved successor can be found. Bannerman and the odious Nuttall are in the frame to succeed him.

Dear UKIP Candidate,

You have my recent e-mail regarding the meeting of candidates, and their election agents, at 7.30 pm, Wednesday 26th May to look at the election and improve next time - your input will be of great importance.

Mike has asked me to say that we can also discuss what effect you think Lord Pearson had on the election when he asked voters to vote for Conservative candidates rather than UKIP - all these things can be aired on the night. The South West, Wales, London and the North East are considering a Motion of No Confidence and your input, as a candidate, will be important in this Region.

The venue is the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIf you want to come along but have not yet let me know, please contact me either by return e-mail or give me a call, tel: 07813 153 xxx or 0121 xxx 7737 and leave a message for me.

You may recall that Andrew Moncrieff - UKIP NEC member - is unhappy with Pearson’s support for Tory and Labour candidates during the General Election. In a previous post we mentioned that he had left at the end of the last NEC meeting feeling totally disillusioned with Pearson. See: LINK

We were amused to hear that the UKIP spin machine was quick to heap scorn on this.

You may be interested to know that Mr Moncrieff attended a UKIP Sussex meeting last week. He repeated his opposition to Pearson’s support for Tory and Labour candidates during the GE.

Moncrieff said that he had made it very clear to the NEC that he was totally opposed to Pearson on this issue. He also confirmed that he had left the NEC feeling thoroughly disgusted with Pearson.

Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Things are going from bad to worse in Derek Clark’s neck of the woods.

Don Ransome

Remember Don Ransome? He was the one who got fined for drink driving. See: LINK

He is also Clark’s Regional Organiser. Or is he?

Don is now telling UKIPPERS that he was never called a regional organiser. Oh, really?

So what about this?

So why is Don keen to distance himself from this position? Could it be because OLAF has been investigating the way UKIP illegally funded their regional organisers via their MEP’s staffing allowances?

Silly boys!

Ransome appears to be on permanent answer phone. And his mobile is just not answered. Wake up, Don! Or is he drunk again?

Feedback from the General Election

UKIPPERS in the East Midlands are far from happy with the way Clark and Ransome handled the General Election campaign.

One member told us that the campaign was "a shambles" and that Don "was bl**dy useless". For instance, members wanting UKIP leaflets were told to drive all the way to Don’s home in Boston because "Don can’t deliver them because of his driving ban". Some RO!

Some disgruntled members have even written letters of complaint to Pearson and the odious Nuttall. These letters concern Ransome and Clark’s lack of interest in supporting branches. They are still waiting for a response. What a surprise!

Several UKIP branches in the East Midlands have now folded.

We were also interested to hear how one elderly member had donated a £1000 to a branch in Clark’s kingdom. Clark found out and demanded the money for his own campaign. He got it.

Deva Kumarasiri

We were saddened to hear that Deva Kumarasiri has had a falling out with Clark. No surprise there! He is now seeking pastures new.

Deva was the former Lib Dem supporter who become a UKIP MEP candidate in the East Midlands. See: LINK & LINK

Farage - always one for jumping on the bandwagon - had approached Deva Kumarasiri after he read how the Sri Lankan had been sacked as a postmaster for refusing to serve non-English speaking customers.

East Midlands members were far from happy when they found out that Farage had parachuted Kumarasri onto the list.

Deva earned even more hostility after he started demanding that UKIP pay all his election expenses, including the deposit. Farage agreed.

Deva also spoke – rather badly - at UKIP’s Exeter rally. UKIP also paid all his travelling expenses and hotel expenses.

It is interesting to note Kumarasri owns two houses and could have easily paid his own costs. It is alleged that he was renting out at least one of the properties at the time.

Kumarasi became almost a daily visitor to Derek Clark’s Nottingham office where he spent most of his time drinking coffee.

During one of his visits he explained how he was having trouble paying off his second mortgage.

You may recall that Gerard Batten has been helping Mario Borghezio, Lega Nord MEP, promote a book on the Bilderberg Group and other assorted conspiracy theories. June 1st is the big day for the launch! See: LINK

We note with amusement that Farage is also keen to promote the book.

How times have changed!

In 1997, Rodney Atkinson published a book entitled 'Europe's Full Circle’. A large amount of the book was devoted to the Bilderberg Group. In 2000, the contents of this book were used by Farage as the basis for a series of attacks on Mr Atkinson after the author decided to stand for election as UKIP leader.

Atkinson was accused of being obsessed with conspiracy theories and was rather uncharitably branded a 'wacko'.

We can only assume that Farage was hoping that UKIPPERS had forgotten about this!

Monday, 24 May 2010

“In my time at the European Parliament, I've seen a lot of rats and I'm interested in seeing them wiped out. They are a nuisance and harmful to both humans and our built environment."

Great stuff! So when will you be culling Farage, the NEC and the various useless members of UKIP’s Press Office?

More on John Wallace

You will recall that John Wallace is behind a rather iffy scheme to raise money for UKIP. See: LINK

This is what Barbara Booker had to say about it on the British Democracy Forum:

Further to questions I raised on this thread about UKIP West Sussex and its newspaper, I see that Junius directs readers to comments left on the blog at Junius on UKIP: UKIP: More lies and scams by John Wallace, UKIP's West Sussex county organiser. Mr Wallace writes:

quote

Dear Junius, whoever you are, you seem to believe that our West Sussex website is new. As is stated on the front page, it was launched on July 20th 2007, so about 3 years ago.

West Sussex isn't a branch, it's a county, and as such does not have a chairman. All funding received is distributed in full to the branches in the constituencies from which it emanates. Simple but effective.

I trust that you'll publish my response in full, and I should be pleased to answer any other allegations that you can produce.

RegardsJohn WallaceW.Sussex County Organiser

It's all very well to state that as a county West Sussex isn't a branch and therefore doesn't have a chairman, but who does John Wallace account to for the funds he has been raising in UKIP's name for the last three years, and who has accounted for them to West Sussex members?

How does West Sussex produce an eight-page colour newspaper without a bank account? And if it has one, why is West Sussex not registered as an accounting unit with the Electoral Commission? Does West Sussex News charge for advertisements it carries? The election issue included ads for Imax Graphic Design, Walter Wall Floorings, Marta Andreasen's book and Nigel Farage's book. If those ads were paid for, where is this income recorded and accounted for?

UKIP already has one level of financial activity, the 'regions', which claim they have no membership and therefore produce no accounts for members. As sub-committees of the NEC the regional committees ought to report to members via the party treasurer at the annual business meeting, but they don't. If the regional treasurer claims that its income/expenditure for the year is below £25,000 he won't report to the Electoral Commission either, so no regional accounts are published anywhere. Now it appears there is another layer - the 'counties' - doing the same.

It's not just West Sussex. UKIP East Sussex has a similar website seeking membership cheques to be sent to the East Sussex County Organiser at a PO Box in Seaford; UKIP Berkshire has a county liaison officer and runs a fundraising draw for county funds; UKIP Surrey produces a county newspaper, UKIP Surrey News, which asks for donations to be sent to John Moran at a PO Box in Ashtead. None of these county branches - West or East Sussex, Berkshire or Surrey - appears on the Electoral Commission's list of UKIP accounting units.

It's interesting that John Wallace interprets questions about his UKIP financial activites as "allegations", when they are only seeking that transparency which he himself demanded of government when he stood in the general election. As an appointed county organiser he is not even answerable to members at an internal election or AGM. Does this mean that 'straight talking' doesn't apply to UKIP officials raising money in the party's name?

Steve Uncles has revealed that UKIP wanted the English Democrats to disband:

At the English Democrats National Council, 2010 Elections de-brief on Saturday in Nottingham - it was revealed that desperate UKIP offered the English Democrats National Chairman Robin Tilbrook, the "Deputy Leadership of UKIP" if Robin, stood down all the English Democrats candidates during the 2010 General Election Campaign, and closed down the English Democrats party.

With English Democrats comfortably beating UKIP in the more established English Democrats areas, like Doncaster, Dartford, and Raleigh, it is not surprising that UKIP are resorting to such desperate measures.

End of quote.

We also hear that Mr Tilbrook was offered the chance to become a UKIP MEP. Not another rigged selection process?

Mr Tilbrook was wise to decline the offer. Why would he want to be associated with the assorted liars and crooks that currently make up UKIP’s bent leadership?

He does, after all, have his reputation to consider. And how very UKIP to expect Mr Tilbrook to ignore his members and betray his party in exchange for a seat alongside Farage!

Why does Farage assume that everyone other politician shares his total lack of ethics and standards?

And let us not forget that UKIP offered to disband if Cameron guaranteed a referendum on Lisbon. Indeed, certain members of UKIP’s leadership are still willing to disband the party in exchange for a Tory referendum on membership the EU.

We were extremely sorry to hear that Batten, Dartmouth and Nattrass got a right telling off after some of their emails criticising Pearson were published on this blog. See: LINK

Farage has made it clear that he never again wants to see such naughty views put in an email.

Ouch!

What Gerard later said behind Nigel’s back is sadly too colourful for this blog!

Nigel is feeling poorly

We were also sorry to hear that Nigel's health is not what it was. The recent plane crash has shaken him up rather badly. Delayed shock and other health problems have been mentioned.

Nigel should now do the decent thing and resign from politics. He would be doing UKIP a BIG favour. UKIP needs decent people at the top. We don’t need crooks, drunkards, liars and spivs.

Nigel should lead by example

Nigel still persists in suggesting that people should resort to civil disobedience in defence of freedom.

All very laudable.

But has he forgotten that in 2007 he folded like a wet blanket when threatened with arrest by Belgian police officers after UKIP officials inflated a Latvian made bulldozer in front of the EU Parliament?

Maybe next time Nigel won't buckle so swiftly!

UKIP quotes

Mick McManus on why he didn’t stand for UKIP in the General Election.

"I want to get on in politics, and being a UKIP candidate will totally f+ck my chances in the real world".

Mick should really be careful about what he says at branch meetings. You never know who may be listening!

Peter Reeve shows his true colours

'Wow', I'd love to work here, it's amazing'

Upon seeing the EU Parliament for the very first time.

Borrowed, with thanks, from Rosie’s Forum.

Here is the full extract:

I can remember a conversation with Pete Reeve on a trip to Brussels when he looked gooey eyed at the wealth and grandeur that oozed from the parliamentary building. 'Wow', I'd love to work here, it's amazing' . My answer to him was short and not particularly sweet, but it did reveal to me how he was already in the process of going native, and that was before he was working for UKIP.

Pete Reeve is now UKIPs Local Government spokesman and his article on the ukip website has thrilled readers with his attack on Cameron as follows:

'A major Tory U-turn on bin tax has been criticized by UKIP’s local government spokesman, Pete Reeve.

In yet another example of the Tories watering down promises and backtracking on manifesto pledges, new Environment minister Caroline Spelman said yesterday that councils should be free to impose their own taxes on refuse collections.

The statement comes despite a Conservative manifesto pledge to encourage councils to pay people to recycle, and only four weeks after Mrs Spelman claimed the Tories would “scrap Labour’s bin bully policies of bin cuts, bin fines and bin taxes”.

Pete Reeve, UKIP councillor for Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire, said: “The Conservative promise to not allow an extra tax on families for collecting house hold bins was just a load of rubbish.

“Cameron's Party has lost its way and abandoned traditional Conservative values. This issue simply highlights what UKIP has been saying all along – a promise from Cameron is simply not to be trusted.With council tax rises rightly capped, but mismanagement and political correctness causing costs to escalate, it will be all too tempting for Councils to take advantage of the new stealth taxes.

Conservative voters are now seeing Cameron and his ministers for what they are – politicians prepared to compromise Conservative values and break promises.”

So then, what Pete is saying is that ukip supporters should not have voted for the tory party, even though ukips leader told them too.

Funny he didn't protest this at the time Lord Pearson announced his intentions.

But hey, it gets better. What's this about mismanagement causing costs to escalate. Could this be something to do with Pete Reeve taking taxpayers money (via the EU) but doing virtually nothing for it (Source:Stuart Agnew)?

Or are costs escalating in Huntingdonshire because Pete claims to work 38 hours per week for Agnew and Campbell Bannerman and also claims to work 100 hours a week in his 'spare' time for ukip (Source: Pete Reeve quoted in 'The Town Crier) but still claims around £5000 a year from the Huntingdonshire taxpayer but only works for ukip. Surely this kind of local government mismanagement needs to be stopped.

Peter Reeve is currently the subject of some OLAF interest after it was revealed in The Sunday Times that he was being paid illegally by Stuart Agnew and David Bannerman. See: LINK

We were also interested to hear that Lisa Duffy – Reeve’s partner – has been bragging to UKIPPERS that he is to receive a cash bonus for retaining his seat on the local council. So is this now official UKIP policy? Or is Reeve a special case?

So where is the money to come from? Bannerman and Agnew’s staffing allowance? The Eastern Region budget/accounts?

We would advise Eastern Region members to raise this matter at the next regional meeting.

Saturday, 22 May 2010

You may recall that we published details about two recent UKIP scams to raise money. See: LINK

The first concerned a site called UKIP West Sussex. They were soliciting donations via a private address:

The Treasurer,UKIP West Sussex News,22 Farm Avenue,Horsham.

John Wallace is the man behind the rather amateurish website. He claimed that the site was a non-profit making operation merely to cover the cost of a new UKIP newspaper entitled' ‘UKIP News - West Sussex'.

Mr Wallace got rather indignant after seeing our article. Indeed, he got so angry that he posted the following statement in our comments section:West Sussex isn't a branch, it's a county, and as such does not have a chairman. All funding received is distributed in full to the branches in the constituencies from which it emanates. Simple but effective.

I trust that you'll publish my response in full, and I should be pleased to answer any other allegations that you can produce.

Regards

John WallaceW.Sussex County Organiser

So why did he tell Geoffry Collier – a UKIP member - that all proceeds raised by the site were going to be used to cover the publishing costs of a UKIP newspaper? So Mr Wallace has changed his story. How very suspicious!

We asked Mr Wallace to reply to all of the points originally raised by Barbara Booker on the British Democracy Forum:

'UKIP West Sussex' is listed by UKIP itself as a branch; it has a website that solicits (I quote), "New Membership, Membership Renewal and Donations"; it invites visitors to print off its membership form, headed "UKIP West Sussex - JOIN US!'; it asks for cheques to be posted to the same Storrington PO Box that is also given as John Wallace's mail address; and it makes no mention of the newspaper 'UKIP West Sussex News' which it supposedly exists merely to fund!

What does John Wallace do with membership and donation cheques that he receives at the Storrington PO Box? Send them to Head Office at Newton Abbot? Pay them into the SE Region bank account? Or does the West Sussex branch have a bank account of its own that it has omitted to register as an accounting unit with the Electoral Commission? Who gets the first year's subscription of new members signed up through the West Sussex branch website or UKIP West Sussex News?

Re the UKIP West Sussex News, I understand that the Horsham address given as that of its treasurer is also the address of Martin Bridewell, Horsham branch treasurer and South East Region treasurer. What does Mr Bridewell do with cheques sent to him as a result of the newspaper's appeal for donations towards its running expenses? Pay them into the Horsham branch bank account? The SE Region bank account? Or again, does the newspaper have its own bank account? Where did the funding come from to set the operation up in the first place? Which bank account settles the printer's bills?

John Wallace writes today in the Brighton Argus that he wants to become an MP, "to see transparency and honesty from both local and national government, and our elected representatives in Westminster". As editor of UKIP West Sussex News, some transparency and honesty about UKIP's West Sussex branch for which he is the only named official would seem a very good place to start.

End of quote.

Mr Wallace has declined to do so. He also declined to answer ANY of the questions raised by Greg Lance-Watkins. What a surprise!

The other UKIP scam concerned ‘Mainstream – UKIP’. They were seeking donations via

PO BOX 4508,BATH,BA1 0NU.

UKIP Head Office claimed that this had nothing to do with UKIP.

The PO Box was registered to someone at:

22 Wedmore Park,Bath,BA2 1JY.

Andrew Fear – a UKIP lackey, Farage sycophant and employee of dippy Derek Clark – was foolish enough to tell UKIPPERS that David Noakes and Richard Suchorzewski were believed to be responsible for this latest attempt to hoodwink UKIPPERS.

Mr Noakes and Mr Suchorzewski are former UKIP leadership candidates. Both left the Party in disgust after being subjected to a Farage instigated smear campaign.

Another UKIPPER also suggested that Andrew Edwards was involved in the scam. Mr Edwards used to be chairman of UKIP Bath.

Apparently, living in the city is all that you need to prove guilt!

It later transpired that a certain John Hallett lives at the address.

This is what Andrew Edwards had to say:

It's likely that two new UKIP fund-raising scams were revealed earlier today. The first is based in Sussex, where a non existent branch (UKIP West Sussex) is soliciting for donations. The second is based in my home City - Bath, and needless to say it's already been suggested that I might be behind it! Dippy Doug Denny has even suggested that I and Andrew Moffatt are one in the same person! Honestly, what planet is the man on????

Junuius says: Andrew Moffat stood against Douglas Denny in the General Election. He is a member of the BNP. Douglas Denny is an idiot. But he does wear nice boots!

Whatever, the scam (?) originating in Bath, possibly, is calling itself ‘Mainstream – UKIP’, and is again seeking donations. This one uses a P.O. Box number that has been traced to an address on a Housing Assoc. estate (ex-council). This flat is occupied by a, John Hallett, a man who travelled to Bath from London some years ago (at that time he was a UKIP member). On arriving in Bath, he spent some time in a homeless shelter, and sold the 'Big Issue' in Bath's city centre, before being given a council flat.

The question here is whether Mr Hallett is responsible for this possible scam, or is he an agent for someone else. I tend to believe the latter, as I doubt the poor chap has the wherewithal to instigate such a thing for himself. The current Bath Chairman is a local businessman, Richard Crowder, and I'd be more than surprised if he allowed Hallett to be a money collector for the Party, i.e., I doubt this is a local initiative!

End of quote.

UKIP’s leadership are strangely reluctant to discuss the fact that donations to UKIP are being obtained under false pretences.

But this has happened before. Remember the Ashford Call Centre scam?

Ashford was supposedly established to raise funds for UKIP. David Bannerman later admitted that less than 15% of Ashford's income ever reached UKIP! So where did the rest end up?

Donations made to UKIP simply vanished into thin air. Nigel Farage is the only man who can tell us where the money went. And he isn’t talking!

But it is interesting to note that Farage later paid £250,000 into a private bank account.

Friday, 21 May 2010

An excellent critique of Farage, Pearson and the Buckingham campaign by Noel Lackland of the 'Critical Reaction' blog.

Devastating but true!

It Wasn’t the Squeaker We Were Promised

None of the above (including UKIP)

Noel Lackland

Now that he is on the mend, one can ask the question that many have privately asked, but which they have refrained from raising while he was in hospital, out of good taste and also because, bluntly, there have been more important considerations in the political world over the past ten days. But just what in heaven’s name was Nigel Farage doing aboard that plane on election morning?

The polling stations were open in Buckingham, where he was opposing John Bercow in what he had promised would be a hard-fought battle. The tried and tested, efficient way to achieve electoral success is to spend the campaign weeks canvassing for your pledges – identifying your definite or at least, if as desperate as Farage clearly was, your likely supporters – and then concentrating your election day resources ruthlessly upon them in order to maximise your vote. But while the pocket-sized Speaker was tearing round the constituency from dawn on May 6th in his usual fashion, UKIP’s ex-leader was many miles away at an airfield in Northamptonshire, posing for press photos (just in time for Friday’s local papers!) as he strapped himself up and all the while getting out precisely zero per cent of his Buckingham pledges.

It’s arguable whether or not trailing a “Vote UKIP” banner high in the skies around the Home Counties, as was the plan, could ever have been an effective polling day tactic, but, even if could have got the votes out, why did Farage have to be in the plane? Here was the man who said he would “professionalise” his party upon becoming its leader in 2006, neglecting the most elementary requirements of electioneering, the sort that a twelve-year-old could grasp, in order to indulge in what was, in terms of the necessity of his own presence, nothing but a jolly jape at best, and a vanity project at worst.

It’s little wonder that Farage, by his own admission, was so out of touch with the Buckingham voters, absurdly saying, ‘I wasn’t to know just how popular Bercow was with his constituents’, which could have come straight out of the Alex Ferguson Book of Lame Excuses. A quick glance at the archives shows that UKIP had stood candidates against Bercow in at least the two previous elections. Is Farage suggesting that his Buckingham party colleagues had gleaned absolutely nothing about their major opponent in all that time? On the evidence of his own approach to marshalling the vote, perhaps they hadn’t.

Worse still, Farage is so out of touch with Buckingham that, even after the event, he has managed to draw the wrong conclusion. In an election in which none of the major parties stood against the Speaker, over 24,000 people still chose to vote against him (and that’s deliberately not counting those who voted BNP). On any scale, that’s a lot of evidence against Bercow’s overwhelming popularity. The problem for Farage, about which he is conveniently saying nothing, is that two thirds of them chose to express that evidence next to a name other than his own.

Perhaps Farage is simply unaware of the result. Certainly the UKIP press office struggled to interpret it, declaring, in one of the most stupid pieces of spin imaginable, that Farage was ‘the leading candidate amongst the ten who had (challenged) Bercow … in third place behind John Stevens’.

The bigger issue which both Farage and his successor as UKIP leader, Lord Pearson, must address is this: May 2010 was truly the “none of the above” general election, the first in living memory when not one of the main parties could happily let the results speak for themselves. In such circumstances, UKIP ought to have been perfectly positioned as the leading “none of the above” party. If it was unrealistic to expect that it could have matched its vote in the last two European elections, when different factors were at play, it was not unrealistic to expect that it should have polled much better than the 3% that it managed.

But when handed the ball in front of an open field, UKIP, instead of running with it, immediately kicked it into touch. We had the bizarre sight, surely unique in electoral history, of its leader campaigning with another party’s rosette. Equally uniquely and equally bizarrely, Pearson also advised electors to vote for the Tory candidate in a constituency where his own party was standing. That was in Wells, where the Tory candidate still lost. Up the road in Stroud, Farage was doing his bit by backing another rival candidate, Labour this time, describing him as ‘a good egg’ despite the fact that he was shown to have tabled a Commons EDM calling for an EU directive to be tightened up and properly enforced. No matter, he lost too.

What sort of message were all these shenanigans sending out to the electorate? UKIP has long claimed to be the anti-establishment party, yet here it was, backing all sides of the establishment at its own candidates’ expense. One final clue to all this can be found by revisiting that strange interview given by Farage, post-crash (and you take that as a bad pun if you wish). He put his “miscalculation” about Bercow down to the Speaker being ‘somebody who is pretty unpopular amongst the Westminster set’.

And there you have the reason UKIP is missing its current opportunities, in a nice little nutshell. The Westminster set will tell you that Nigel Farage is a common sight around its watering holes these days, both inside and outside the House, a rather sad sight too, given that he sits in another ‘parliament’ a couple of hundred miles away. No wonder then that, on his own admission, Farage’s political antennae are attuned more closely to that set, that establishment, that elite, than to the ordinary voters in Buckingham and up and down the rest of Britain too.

The problem with politicians, these days, is that politics is all they know. That truism has been amply stated with regard to the new double act in Downing Street and to what is likely to be facing them across the dispatch box after the summer recess. But what is now becoming evident is the extent to which the “full-time” political web is ensnaring every party which gets anywhere near it. UKIP, once a gloriously bottom-up party, has been transformed by stealth into as lopsidedly a top-down party as any on the circuit, dangerously over-dependent on the money its MEPs bring back from Brussels and upon the insidious group system from which they derive still more Euro-funding. On the back of that, it gets a press office in the heart of the Westminster village, absurdly detached from reality given that it has no MPs in the Commons, because that is where the European Parliament, as opposed to ordinary UKIP members, says its press office should be – though Farage’s rather pathetic wannabe inclinations, it must be said, do not help.

Of course Farage is guided by the Westminster set. He’s part of the Westminster set. And when it comes to the political establishment, UKIP, sad to say, isn’t part of the solution – it’s part of the problem.

Gerard photographed by Tim on their happy way to the Glastonbury EU Festival of the Great God Pan and other assorted EU approved deities, spirits, imps, sprites, beasties, fairies, devils, etc.

This article is rather naughty. We apologise in advance to our more sensitive readers........

Falling membership, infighting and ELCOM /OLAF investigations are just some of the many problems facing Pearson’s eventual successor.

We would have thought that UKIP could now do with all the help it can get. Even the odd prayer to Wotan, David 'underpants problem' Challice, Christopher Lee or Zeus would not go amiss. After all, everything else has failed!

So what does the odious Nuttall proceed to do? Upset those pesky Pagans. See the article below.

Pagans have feelings too, you know!

We were going to get the Grand Wizard of Avebury to cast some magic spells on behalf of UKIP. A bit of magic dust, a few incantations and Bob’s your uncle!

They even have a spell for making your hair grow back and pushing your IQ into double figures. Mark Croucher, Jonathan Arnott and the odious Paul Nuttall would really benefit from that one.

And what about a potion to make Lisa Duffy slim, clean and attractive? We are joking! There are some things that are beyond even the skills of the Mighty Zeus!

Or how about the spell to make David Bannerman come out of the closet and admit the truth? No chance of that now!

From Champion Newspapers:

Sefton and West Lancashire Pagans hit out at UKIP attack over holidays

The region's Pagan community has reacted with uproar this week after a political party branded moves to let police officers celebrate their festivals as “madness”.

Pat Regan, founder of the Pagan Anti-Defamation Network, told The Champion on Monday, May 17, 2010, that a statement sent out by the UK Independence Party describing a ruling allowing Pagan police officers in Lancashire and Merseyside to take time off to commemorate their festivals as “politically correct madness” was offensive, and called for UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall to resign.

“I was saddened, shocked and appalled at recent comments made against the UKs Pagan minority by Paul Nuttall, MEP for the UK Independence Party. This type of negative diatribe against an innocent spiritual minority may in fact breach UK laws relating to Incitement to Religious Hatred. He may also be in breach of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and in particular articles 18 and 19. If Mr Nuttall values his own freedom of expression then he should be prepared to extend this essential liberty to others,” he said.

“Nuttall's disgraceful language belongs to a radical 1930s Germany and not a free and democratic UK 21st century society. I fully intend to expose and complain about Mr Nuttalls blatant ignorance and apparent bigotry, which may affect many ordinary Pagan families in society. After Pagans who will Mr Nuttall single out on next?”

The comments come after the Pagan Police Association has just been officially recognised as a 'diversity staff support organisation' by the Home Office, allowing Pagan police officers to take time off.

Mr Nuttall, who stood as UKIP's parliamentary candidate in Bootle at the general election, said in a statement issued to The Champion last weekend that Pagans had “unabashed sexuality and promiscuity”.

“These pagan festivals include believers behaving with 'unabashed sexuality and promiscuity', casting spells and dancing around naked,” he said.

“It is politically correct madness of high order for the Home Office to give this approval. Everyone is entitled to their own religious belief and if they want to use their holiday entitlement to be off for their festivals that's fine but it should not be a legal right.”

Lancashire Constabulary said it recognised the Home Office decision, saying:

“Lancashire Constabulary recognises that in order to effectively deliver policing services, the make-up of our staff needs to be fully representative of the communities we police and that religious needs and beliefs should where possible be accommodated in order to satisfy individual requirements.”

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

UKIP's political group in the European Parliament, the neo-fascist EFD, has had a busy week.

Three of the group's MEPs, Fiorello Provera, Lorenzo Fontana, and Juozas Imbrasas are very concerned about human rights abuses in Burma, and have taken the time to table a motion in the European Parliament calling on the EU special envoy to Burma, Piero Fassino, "to come up with concrete proposals in order to give the European Union a more pro-active role in the solution of the crisis in Burma/Myanmar".

This seems somewhat at odds with the UKIP principle of national sovereignty, but then Nigel Farage abandoned UKIP's principles a long time ago.

Fontana and Provera have also teamed up with another EFD MEP, Mara Bizotto, to speak out on other issues concerning Pakistan. In another parliamentary proposal they have called for both the Commission and the Council to take leading roles in the fight against terrorism.

This is somewhat amusing, as their party, Lega Nord, does not have a particularly good track record on Human rights. They have called for racial segregation on public transport, "ethnic cleansing" of homosexuals, and the sinking of boats carrying refugees, whom they refer to as "Bingo Bongoes".

The most disgusting Lega Nord MEP, Mario Borghezio, a convicted violent racist, has also found time to team up with UKIP's Gerard Batten to promote a book on conspiracy theories by the anti-Semitic author Daniel Estulin. Batten will help to launch Estulin's latest piece of drivel in the European Parliament on June 1st.

Racism, homophobia, violent assault, and holocaust denial. It seems that there are no depths to which the foul EFD will not go.

As for Batten and the other UKIP MEPs, who we are told make more money by being members of this group, can they please explain exactly how this might help to get Britain out of the EU?